For many adults, being spontaneous is a part of life. Most people dont even think about what time they're going to bed that night let alone what they're going to have for breakfast the next morning. For people with significant disabilities, being spontaneous often isn't an option.

I've always been an organized and on-time person. If I'm late for something, people know something is likely wrong. Some people think Im overly punctual, but time management is crucial for me. Since almost everything takes me a little longer to accomplish, I have to be a planner. Fortunately, I always have been pretty good at this.

Since I depend on people for all of my basic needs, I have to plan out almost everything I do. From the times I roll out of bed each morning, to the times I use the restroom during the day, to the times I eat lunch and dinner, to the times I go to bed each night, everything has to be done at a scheduled time because people have to come help me. I also need to make sure that during each shift I have the aide do whatever I need until the next shift. I always have to think ahead to make sure Im prepared. Since I'm primarily non-verbal, each night, I prepare three or four Word documents for the next day explaining what I want done on each shift. I type out what I want staff to prepare for each meal and what I need them to do.

In college, most students could do a five page paper an hour before class and do ok on it or pull an all-nighter when a big project was due. For me, it wasn't that easy. Before each semester, I had to look at my class schedule and make a schedule of the shifts accordingly. Most of the time I didn't mind it because it forced me to keep a strict time schedule, but, sometimes, it was a pain if I had to meet for a group project or just wanted to go to bed earlier or later one night. Since most coursework took me at least twice as long to do then the normal student, I had to plan out enough time to complete assignments. If I needed physical assistance with homework, I had homework aides who would come help me. That also took some coordinating. Unlike many college students, I tended not to procrastinate. When I got an assignment, I got it started as soon as possible. Usually, if I had something due and if it wasn't done at least a day before hand, something is wrong. Even if I had a couple of weeks to do it, I got it started right away. My friends thought I was crazy for doing things so far in advanced, but I had to be on top of things.

Now that I'm working as an independent contractor, I set my own hours that I work. Although I'm getting better at pacing myself, I still tend to do all the work I can as soon as I can. Maybe it's my personality, but if I know there's work I need to complete, I have a hard time relaxing. Its just the way I am.

Living on a rigid schedule has become the norm for me. My friends and family understand that if they want to do something with me, I need to know well ahead of time so I can let my staff know. Although, I enjoy getting a break from my routine when I go away for a weekend or go on vacation and have family take care of me, it often throws my body out of whack. Living a scheduled life isn't always convenient, but, for me, it's the only way I can live independently!

The views expressed here are strictly those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of InControl Wisconsin, the Network or any of our sponsors.